Falcon Heavy is the most powerful rocket SpaceX has ever built, with characteristics that
add a new dimension to rocket launch operations.
The Falcon Heavy design consists of a reinforced center core and two Falcon 9 first stages
serving as side boosters.
The selected three rocket configurations combine to make a strong reusable rocket launched
into space in unison but will separate in orbit.
After performing their missions, they will land individually on the launch pad or a drop-ship
at the sea.
But what is the need to build the acclaimed latest Falcon Heavy rocket without launching
it to space?
Stay tuned as we explore the unimaginable technique SpaceX has adopted to launch the
new Falcon Heavy - three different rockets stacked together to form a unity before launching
it all to space.
The Falcon Heavy is the most powerful operational rocket in the world.
It can transport roughly 64 metric tons, about 141,000 kg, into orbit, which is more than
twice the payload of the next closest operational rocket, Delta IV Heavy.
The Falcon Heavy rocket comprises three Falcon nine-engine cores, each with 27 Merlin engines
that provide more than 5 million pounds of thrust at lift-off.
Elon's space company, SpaceX, has launched Falcon Heavy, its most powerful system, into
orbit and history.
And the launch was fantastic.
SpaceX fired off all 27 engines at the base of Falcon Heavy, the most powerful rocket
launched from US territory since NASA's Apollo days, after more than two hours of delays
due to high-altitude winds.
The launch occurred just a few miles away from Kennedy Space Center's pad 39-A, the
same location where Apollo 11 lifted off over half a century ago to transport mankind to
the moon for the first time.
Shortly after, the huge launch system fired up to 5 million tons of thrust from its tail
end and cleared the launch tower without mishap.
This was a significant first step toward the long-awaited launch.
However, it was merely the beginning of a lengthy flight that intended to transport
a cargo consisting of Musk's cherry red Tesla Roadster on its path to Mars.
Musk himself said that he had reservations about the 27 engines working well together
when they all fired simultaneously.
NASA was infamous for having difficulties with the acoustics from the boom of the engines
creating explosions during Saturn V testing.
The two side boosters launched the rocket toward orbit, then disconnected from the center
core and conducted a flip maneuver to return to Earth, shaking the ground where people
admiring it watched from a distance.
The fate of the center booster was less certain after both landed safely, as the camera feed
on the drone ship in the Atlantic cut out immediately before the landing attempt.
Musk tweeted around 45 minutes after the launch that the second-stage rocket had been successfully
reignited.
The top rocket and payload spent several hours "cruising" in the Van Allen belts encircling
Earth to investigate how the spacecraft fared when bombarded with high radiation.
The second-stage rocket fired to propel the Roadster and its dummy driver, called "Starman,"
toward Mars one more time.
However, Musk stated on Twitter that the push may have been a touch too strong, placing
the newly launched space vehicle on a collision course with the asteroid belt.
The Roadster and "Star Man" live transmission ended less than five hours after it began,
so this may be the last time we’ll hear of a remarkable payload.
Now, it's time to find out the working principle of the Falcon Heavy rocket.
Let's get on;
The Falcon Heavy has just two stages;
First, there are two strap-on side boosters.
It is linked to the rocket's main body on both sides.
Each booster contains nine Merlin -1D engines.
It is connected to the central core, which is technically the same thing, but with a
little more fuel, as I will explain later.
The second stage is up next.
It is powered by a single Merlin 1D engine with vacuum capability.
Okay, one more thing.
All of the engines described run on kerosene and use liquid oxygen as an oxidizer.
Now, let's go over to the lift-off process;
The boosters and center core are both fired simultaneously, bringing 27 Merlin 1D engines
to life!
Then there's a swoosh.
I am now coming to the point where the different rocket gets separated.
The strap-on side boosters stop burning and remove after about 5 minutes.
They then flip over, reignite, and return to Earth.
The main rocket will start cruising across space, aided by the center core.
Then after some time, the central core burns out, detaches, re-ignites, and returns to
Earth.
The solitary Merlin-1D engine, properly modified for vacuum operation, now fires and deposits
the cargo in the desired orbit.
The fairing, which is the upper part of the rocket, opens, and the automobile is launched
into what is thought to be a Martian orbit.
Meanwhile, the first two rockets stacked at both left and right-hand sides will have to
return to Earth, initiate their last burn during re-entry, and land on two neighboring
landing fields in Florida with six incredible Sonic booms, since they decelerate as fast
as possible.
After some time, the central core lands in the same fashion on a drone ship in the Atlantic
Ocean.
SpaceX will now be able to launch any mission that any of its rivals can launch at a far
cheaper cost because it has the same upper stage, and three times the first stage.
The Falcon Heavy rocket has more reusability potential than Falcon 9.
Some F9 missions that require the first stage to be expended; can now be replaced with Falcon
Heavy missions that reuse all three initial stages.
Moreso, even after exhausting the first stage, F9 could not compete for several objectives.
I feel that the Falcon Heavy has a large enough advantage over the next most competent heavy
launcher to take on the most challenging missions while still allowing for reuse.
Finally, Falcon Heavy can do missions that no other orbital launcher can, such as exhausting
only the center core or all three cores.
Even if it is entirely disposable, it will cost much less permission than the SLS when
it is ready.
The SLS will have a higher maximum payload, but Falcon Heavy could match it with two launches
and still come in at a fraction of the overall cost.
I have done a brief explanation about the operation principle of the Falcon Heavy, and
it's time we'll check through the most effective use the Falcon Heavy will serve to SpaceX.
The first use of the Falcon 9 is for; high-altitude GEO satellite launches, like launching as
30 or 40 SpaceX own Starlink satellites constellation.
Secondly, to meet the requirements of all US government launch scenarios and become
a full replacement to ULA rockets.
Third, to launch satellites that the Falcon 9 can launch, but its rocket fuel gets exhausted.
So instead of using the Falcon 9, the Falcon Heavy will replace launches like this.
And finally, the fourth is; to provide sufficient performance and allow early full reuse experiments
to be carried out; for instance, if 4 tons of extra recovery mass is required on the
upper stage, this will directly remove 4 tons of payload capability, but since Falcon Heavy
can drop over 20 tons to LEO with side booster RTLS plus the center core ASDS, it could conceivably
do an Iridium class launch and still recover the upper stage.
It may even be able to launch some smaller payloads to GTO while recovering all four
FH parts.
What is most special about SpaceX is its ingenuity and enormous effort in moving the human race
to new heights in technology and space exploration, which is our natural born instinct.
Space, as they say, where the stars are developed, maybe the last frontier for humans to explore
and possibly dominate.
Without SpaceX, mankind would remain in its shell and would not be able to grow beyond
Earth.
SpaceX has begun a new space race, and other space companies like Blue Origin and Virgin
Galactic want to compete with SpaceX to bring humans into space and push the frontiers of
what humans are capable of.
The Falcon Heavy rocket was a testimony to human ingenuity and space technology that
had not been experienced during the Apollo mission.
Before the Falcon Heavy launch, there were several concerns regarding how the Falcon
Heavy would function.
The engineers were particularly concerned about how the engine's vibrations might affect
the triple-rocket system.
If the vibrations had been too intense and interfered with the launch, either ripping
the rocket apart or changing its flight path, the Falcon Heavy would certainly have to be
modified.
This would have put us years behind schedule in our mission to Mars.
Ultimately…
This flight represents a minor step forward for more of what SpaceX is about to achieve.
And very soon, it will be a huge step forward for humanity.
What is the difference between SpaceX Falcon Heavy, and Falcon 9?
Be sure to check out your favorite SpaceX video here.